Team Moon by Catherine Thimmesh

Bibliography
Thimmesh, Catherine. 2006. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618507574.

Plot Summary
Team Moon is the story of how Apollo 11 landed on the moon and returned safely home. In order for this great event to take place, thousands of people had to work together to achieve this and make history. Catherine Thimmesh writes about this very long and ultimately successful process in Team Moon. She includes everyone from the flight directors and technicians to the seamstresses who designed the space suit. Thimmesh provides us with a close up and detailed look at America's achievement of putting a man on the moon.

Critical Analysis
Catherine Thimmesh opens up Team Moon by providing a picture of the flight path of Apollo 11 to the moon and reminding us of the dream and the challenge of this great event in our history. Throughout the book, she details the journey by providing pictures, quotes, and facts. The time period is reflected in the black and white pictures and pages. The book is very well organized starting with the anticipation that was felt throughout America while they waited for the news. Thimmesh then starts at the beginning of the quest and takes the reader through each challenge and ending with the astronaut's return home.

Thimmesh's extensive research is evident. To assist readers with further research and to guide them through her own research, she provides the sources, chapter notes, acknowledgements, and photo credits at the end of the book. Both children and adult will be thrilled with the results. To quote Walter Cronkite, "Isn't this something" (pg 45).

Reviews
Children's Literature: "All in all, Thimmesh's book is an excellent choice for anyone interested in the story of America's effort to put a man on the moon."

VOYA: "This book will be a useful and interesting overview of the Apollo 11 mission for reluctant readers. Public and school libraries will find it a helpful addition to their nonfiction collection. The photographs and easy to read format make it suitable for browsing. Teens interested in space exploration will love this overview and want to read more."

Connections
*Use this book as additional material when presenting the subject to students. The pictures will bring the journey to life.
*Have children draw their own space shuttle for the trip to the moon.